Journal box construction for railway cars



Sept. 13, 1966 P. SMITH ETAL JOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1963 m )i|\|. Zf |l\ r w a. J m a WWW N 2mm mm wwmw w Z d mam mmw jyW Sept. 13, 1966 E. P. SMITH ETAL JOURNAL BOXCONSTRUCTION FOR RAILWAY CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1963 UnitedStates Patent 3,272,573 .lOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION FOR RAliLWAY CARSEdward Payson Smith, 1075 Pelham Road, Winnetlra, 111.; Erwin .l.Hasten, Jr., 5934 Forest Glen, Chicago, 11].; and David S. Neuhart, 9924Jones Ava, Omaha, Nehr.

Filed July 5, 1963, Ser. No. 293,067 Claims. (Cl. 308-38) This inventionrelates, generally, to railway car journal boxes and it has particularrelation to combined lubricators and journal stops for the axle journalsmounted therein.

Among the objects of this invention are: To prodvide in a new andimproved manner for mounting journal stops on a lubricating pad employedfor transporting lubricant to the axle journal mounted in conventionalmanner in a railway car journal box; to arrange for applying the journalstops after the lubricating pad has been inserted in the journal box; tohold the journal stops in operative position on the lubricating pad insuch manner that they can be readily applied and removed; to slot theupwardly extending ends of the lubricating pad in order to facilitatethe application of the journal stops after the pad has been installed;to provide retainer pins extending through the ends of the lubricatingpad and the journal stops in parallel relation to the axle journal; toemploy a pair of spaced apart journal stops at each end of thelubricating pad; to interconnect each pair of journal stops to the endthat they can be inserted and removed as a unit; and to reinforce thelubricating pad by expanded metal mesh formed integrally therewith.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 1-1of FIG. 2 and showing one embodiment of the combined lubricator andjournal stop applied in a journal box of conventional construction whichforms an integral part of a car truck side frame, the axle journal beingshown in broken outline and parts of the combination lubricator andjournal stop being shown likewise in order to more clearly illustratethe details of construction.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the application of the combinationlubricator and journal stop with the car axle omitted.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the details of construction of thecombination lubricator and journal stop, the lubricator beingconstructed generally as shown in US. Patent No. 3,033,625, issued May8, 1962, to J. A. Schroeder.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified construction for thelubricating pad shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the reinforced lubricating padshown in FIG. 5 and showing at an enlarged scale the reinforcingexpanded metal.

FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, showing certain modifications inthe construction of the journal stops and showing a lubricating padconstruction generally as illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 2,975,009,issued Mar. 14, 1961, to S. G. Bair.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will beobserved that the reference character 10 designates, generally, one endof a railway car axle of conventional construction which includes anaxle journal 11 having an end collar 12 at the outer end and at theinner end a shoulder 13. The longitudinal axis of rotation of therailway car axle 10 is indicated at 14 in FIG. 1.

In accordance with conventional practice a railway "ice car journal box,indicated generally at 15, is provided for receiving the axle journal11. It includes a top wall 16, side walls 17-17 and a curved bottom wall18 which at is outer end has a curved bottom end wall 19. Theconventional lid opening 20 is provided, the lid not being shown. At theother end of the journal box 15 there is dust guard well 21 which isformed between vertical walls 22 and 23. The hub portion 24 of therailway car axle 10 which terminates in the shoulder 13 extends throughthat portion of the journal box 15 which provides the dust guard well21. It will be understood that the lower portion of the journal box 15has a filling of lubricant therein to the level indicated by the brokenline shown at 26 in FIG. 1.

Extending inwardly from the side walls 17-17 at the upper portionsthereof are wedge guide columns 27-27 which are provided in accordancewith conventional practice for locating the wedge and journal bearingthrough which the load is transmitted from the truck side frame to theaxle journal 11. Since the wedge and journal bearing are of conventionalconstruction, they are not shown.

It is desirable to provide for transporting the lubricant in the lowerportion of the journal box 15 to the surface of the axle journal 11. Inaddition it is desirable to limit the movement of the axle journal 11with respect to the side wall 17-17. For these purposes a combinationlubricator and journal stop, indicated generally at 28, is employed. Thedetails of construction are shown more clearly in FIG. 4 where it willbe observed that a lubricating pad 29 of felt is provided having thereonlongitudinally extending upstanding resilient blocks 30, 31 and 32covered by fabric 33 which serves as a wick to transport the lubricantto the surface of the axle journal 11. As described in more detail inthe Schroeder patent above referred to the blocks 30 and 31 are of thesame height and length while the block 32 is longer and higher since itis positioned adjacent the shoulder 13 and it is desired to provide aseal against the passage of the lubricant beyond the shoulder 13.

In accordance with this invention journal stops 34-34 are provided inslots 35-35 having semi-circular bottoms 36-36 located in the ends 37-37of the pad 27. As indicated in the Schroeder patent the pad 29 is formedof felt or other lubricant absorbent material. The journal stops 34-34are preferably cylindrical in shape and are formed of non-ferrous metalsuch as brass. They are inserted in the slots 35-35 after thelubricating pad 29 with the blocks 30, 31 and 32 covered by the fabric33 mounted therein has been inserted in position in the journal box 15underneath the axle journal 11.

In order to hold the journal stops 34-34 in operating position in theslots 35-35 retaining pins 38-38 are provided in aligned openings 39-39in the ends 37-37 of the pad 29 and through openings 40 in the journalstops 34-34.

When it is desided to remove the journal stops 34-34 for the purpose ofreplacing them or for replacing the lubricating pad 29 and partsattached thereto, the retaining pins 38-38 can be withdrawn readily.This permits removal of the journal stops 34-34. Thereafter thelubricating pad 29 and parts mounted thereon can be flexed around theend collar 12 and removed from the journal box 15. Such action isfacilitated by first removing the wedge and journal bearing from thejournal box 15 and then jacking the axle 10 to provide greater clearancebetween its underside and the lower portion of the journal box 15.

It is desirable to position the ends 37-37 of the lubrieating pad 2 9 asillustrated in FIG. 1 intermediate the inner sides of the side walls17-17 and the diametrically opposite sides of the axle journal =11. Inorder to provide a more rigid construction for holding the journal stops34- 34 in operative position the construction shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 isprovided. Here it will be observed that the reference character 41designates, generally, a reinforced lubricating pad which is providedwith a reinforcing material in the form of expanded metal mesh for 42.In other respects the pad 41 is identical in construction with the pad29. The expanded metal mesh 42 is of conventional construction and maybe formed of non-ferrous corrosion resisting metal such as brass orcopper. The felt is formed integrally with the expanded metal mesh 42and is preferably positioned on both sides as shown in FIG. 6. The upperlayer is shown at 43 and the bottom layer is shown at 44. While thereinforced lubricating pad 41, because of the provision of the expandedmetal mash therein, is not as flexible as the felt lubricating pad 29,still it is sufficiently flexible to permit insertion in the bottom ofthe railway car journal box in the manner described. Also it can beremoved as above outlined.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the combination lubricator andjournal stop. Here the reference character 45 designates, generally, acombination lubricator and journal stop in which are incorporatedcertain features of construction of the journal lubricator described inthe Bair patent above referred to. It includes a lubricating pad 46which may be either in construction to the pad 29 or the reinforcedlubricating pad 41 previously described. On the pad 46 are transverselyextending resilient blocks 47 that are covered by a fabric 48 for thepurpose of transporting the lubricant from the bottom of the railway carjournal box to the surface of the axle journal 11.

With a view to facilitating the application of the journal stops 3434 tothe slots 35 at the ends 37-37 of the pad 46, the journal stops 34-34are interconnected by a connecting bar 49. If desired, the connectingbar 49 can be formed integrally with the journal stops 3434, It islocated adjacent the end portions thereof which are juxtaposed to thediametrically opposite sides of the axle journal 11. The reason for thisarrangement is -to permit the connecting bar 49 to clear the wedge guidecolumn 27 when the journal stops 3434 are applied as a unit to therespective end 3 7 of the combination lubricator and journal stop 45.For holding the journal stops 34-34 in operative position at the ends ofthe lubricating pad 46 the retaining pins 3838 can be employed in themanner previously described.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a railway car journal box construction, a journal box havingspaced vertical side walls with an axle journal in spaced relationtherebetween, top and curved bottom walls interconnecting said sidewalls above and below said axle journal respectively, and a lubricant insaid journal box; the improvement which comprises:

(a) a lubricant absorbing pad overlying said curved 5 bottom wall,extending upwardly past diametrically opposite sides of said axlejournal and having slotted ends,

(b) resilient block means extending upwardly from the upper side of saidpad,

(c) a fabric overlying said resilient block means to transport thelubricant to the surface of said axle journal,

(d) journal stop means in said slotted ends of said pad interposedbetween the respective side walls of said journal box and thediametrically opposite sides of said axle journal to limit the movementthereof with respect to said side walls, and

(e) retaining means extending in parallel relation to said axle journalthrough said slotted ends of said pad and through said journal stopmeans to hold said journal stop means in said slotted ends,

(f) said journal stopmeans projecting beyond opposite sides of therespective ends of said pad whereby said slotted ends are spaced fromthe respective side walls of said journal box and the diametricallyopposite sides of said axle journal.

2. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the retaining meansincludes means for facilitating the detachment of the same from saidjournal stop means and from said slotted ends of said pad whereby saidjournal stop means can be applied to said slotted ends after said pad isinserted in the journal box.

3. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each end of said padhas two upwardly opening slots.

4. The invention, as set forth in claim 3, wherein.

(a) each slot has a semicircular bottom, and

(-b) said journal stop means includes a journal stop received in eachslot and having a circular cross section.

5. The invention, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said journal stopmeans includes a plurality of journal stops, said journal stops at eachend of the pad being rigidly interconnected by said retaining means toprovide a unitary construction that is insertable and removable as aunit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 732,800 7/ 1903Trudeau 308--88 2,271,117 1/ 1942 Carnarius 308--89 2,328,883 9/ 1943Wilson 308-89 2,371,247 3/ 1945 McMullen et al 30889 2,581,020 1/1952Hulson 30887 2,648,574 8/ 1953 Herr 308--89 2,939,751 6/ 1960 Hoyer etal 308243 2,957,773 10/1960 Hare.

2,975,009 3/1961 Bair 308-243 3,028,202 4/1962 George 30838 3,154,35410/1964 Bohmer 308--40 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK SUSKO, Examiner.

R. F. HESS, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A RAILWAY CAR JOURNAL BOX CONSTRUCTION, A JOURNAL BOX HAVINGSPACED VERTICAL SIDE WALLS WITH AN AXLE JOURNAL IN SPACED RELATIONTHEREBETWEEN, TOP AND CURVED BOTTOM WALLS INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDEWALLS ABOVE AND BELOW SAID AXLE JOURNAL RESPECTIVELY, AND A LUBRICANT INSAID JOURNAL BOX; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A LUBRICANTABSORBING PAD OVERLYING SAID CURVED BOTTOM WALL, EXTENDING UPWARDLY PASTDIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID AXLE JOURNAL AND HAVING SLOTTEDENDS, (B) RESILIENT BLOCK MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE UPPER SIDEOF SAID PAD, (C) A FABRIC OVERLYING SAID RESILIENT BLOCK MEANS TOTRANSPORT THE LUBRICANT TO THE SURFACE OF SAID AXLE JOURNAL, (D) JOURNALSTOP MEANS IN SAID SLOTTED ENDS OF SAID PAD INTERPOSED BETWEEN THERESPECTIVE SIDE WALLS OF SAID JOURNAL BOX AND THE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITESIDES OF SAID AXLE JOURNAL TO LIMIT THE MOVEMENT THEREOF WITH RESPECT TOSAID SIDE WALLS, AND (E) RETAINING MEANS EXTENDING IN PARALLEL RELATIONTO SAID AXLE JOURNAL THROUGH SAID SLOTTED ENDS OF SAID PAD AND THROUGHSAID JOURNAL STOP MEANS TO HOLD SAID JOURNAL STOP MEANS IN SAID SLOTTEDENDS, (F) SAID JOURNAL STOP MEANS PROJECTING BEYOND OPPOSITE SIDES OFTHE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID PAD WHEREBY SAID SLOTTED ENDS ARE SPACEDFROM THE RESPECTIVE SIDE WALLS OF SAID JOURNAL BOX AND THE DIAMETRICALLYOPPOSIDE SIDES OF SAID AXLE JOURNAL.